CHARLOTTE, N.C. β Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Bryan Battle says Charlotte’s martial arts scene has evolved, with local fighters no longer needing to relocate to advance their careers.
“There was kind of like a feeling where it’s like, OK, you get to a certain level and you gotta go somewhere else,” Battle said during a recent interview. “You know, especially with my success, a lot of people have been able to see it’s like we can fight out of here too.”
Battle, winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 29, has called Charlotte home for 20 years and trains at Carolina Combat Sports. The former 300-pound beginner who started training at age 21 has four wins in his last five UFC fights.
His most memorable moment came in May 2023 when he knocked out Gabe Green in 14 seconds at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.
“I walk out for the second fight, and the love and support, it was like a champion’s ovation,” Battle said. “That’s one of those things where there’s nothing else in life that will feel like that moment.”
Battle is scheduled to fight Aug. 16, moving up to middleweight after competing primarily at welterweight.
Despite experiencing both fan adoration and criticism during his career, Battle said Charlotte supporters have remained loyal.
“In Charlotte it’s not like that. My people in Charlotte, y’all my rock,” he said.
Battle encouraged fans to support local fighters coming up through the ranks and offered advice to aspiring athletes.
“If you genuinely love it and you genuinely stick with it and stay consistent, you stay grinding, good things happen,” Battle said.